The Mets never expected to be in a selling position this year, but underperformance and a spate of significant injuries have destroyed any hopes of contention. Were it not for the runaway NL Wild Card race, New York might still have hope of staying in the hunt, but as things stand it seems quite likely they’ll move a few veterans.

Reed has completely turned his career around since landing in New York in 2015. He has given up a few more home runs this season than he did in his dominant 2016 campaign, but otherwise has been much the same pitcher. With 9.2 K/9 (13.9% swinging-strike rate) and just 1.2 BB/9, Reed is thriving even as he has lost half a tick on his average fastball velocity. It probably doesn’t hurt that he’s back to working in the closer’s role, too. All things considered, Reed is quite possibly the club’s biggest trade chip.

Bruce only just turned 30 and is posting a strong .270/.339/.543 slash on the season, with twenty long balls already in the bank through just seventy games. He doesn’t run like he used to, but Bruce has received positive defensive grades this year after several seasons of questionable glovework.

That’s quite a lot of coin for a 36-year-old corner outfielder who’s only hitting near the league average. But Granderson can also still play some center and has gotten hotter and hotter at the plate as the season has progressed. The respected veteran could be quite a useful piece for the right team.

If there’s enough demand, Duda could potentially bring back something interesting. He has returned to posting strong on-base and slugging numbers after a lost 2016 season, and would represent a middle-of-the-order bat for a contender.

If he can make it back from a hamstring tear before the deadline, Walker could draw real interest. The veteran remains a quality hitter and was on a tear when he got hurt. That said, demand doesn’t figure to be strong at second base, and the big salary will present an obstacle.

He seemed like a solid value after a strong finish last year with the Mets, but Salas has struggled badly in 2017. Teams may still take a shot since he’s generating strikeouts (9.9 per nine) with a 12.5% swinging-strike rate. While his walks are way up, Salas has been unfortunate to carry a 5.88 ERA; he’s being tagged for a .357 BABIP and has stranded just 64% of the runners to reach base against him.

The meager salary is nice, but Reyes just isn’t producing. After turning in a solid part-year with the stick in 2016, Reyes currently owns a meager .191/.266/.323 batting line — due in some part, at least, to a .202 batting average on balls in play. Though he runs well, his defense is a bit shaky. With the stain of a domestic violence suspension also potentially a factor, it’s not clear that there’ll be any real market here.

The 33-year-old is a respected defender who is slashing a respectable .268/.305/.423 over his 131 plate appearances on the year. While he’s obviously not the sort of player who’s going to draw a major return, he could hold appeal to a contending team in need of some depth behind the dish.

Like Reed, the 33-year-old has never looked better than he has when pitching out of the Mets’ pen. He’s currently setting down 13.0 batters per nine via strikeout with a 14.1% swinging-strike rate that’s easily his personal best. Blevins is also hitting the zone much less frequently than usual while battling through a league-leading 39 appearances. His value is enhanced quite a bit by the reasonably priced option year; the Mets have plenty of leverage, too, since they’d no doubt like to have him at that rate.

After publicly requesting a trade and airing some complaints about the team’s handling of his move off of shortstop, it’s no longer clear that Cabrera is in the Mets’ 2018 plans. At the same time, he’s not exactly at the height of his appeal as a trade chip. While he’s still hitting in range of his typically slightly-above-average rate, Cabrera isn’t a great baserunner or defender.

Longer-Term Assets

It seems rather unlikely that the Mets will really go out looking for deals for any longer-term pieces, at least for core players such as Yoenis Cespedes and Jacob deGrom. Pitchers Josh Edgin, Hansel Robles, and Rafael Montero could conceivably end up changing hands, though none seem likely to be targeted by contenders. Juan Lagares could hold some appeal, but he’s probably slated for some kind of timeshare in center at Citi Field next season. It’s anyone’s guess just how things will turn out with Matt Harvey in the long run, but he’s on the DL at present with another fairly significant arm injury.

Comments

Zero hope
Zero ownership commitment
Zero guts in the front office to manage the players
Zero brains in the dugout
Zero confidence to let young talent play
Over rated farm system
Destroyed dream team pitching staff

Summary: stop financially supporting this team until the Fred and Jeff are forced to to sell.

And before you run, your posting lacked your own conviction towards the team. Does “every fan wants them to sell” include you, or only adults. I’m not bashing the Mets. As you read from posts endorsing my position, it’s up to YOU to take a stand.

You can no longer hide behind the facts; the incompetent management and lack of commitment by the owners causes every day drama.

Just read the NY Tomes article today where Terry Collins admits that he enlists both of his over the hill shortstops to get Cespedes to listen to reason. Come on. He’s a major league manager with minor league leadership. Can you imagine ( ) fill in the blank with any of the top managers in the game having no say on his own authority?

Man, I’d give up Alex Bergman and Francisco Marte for DeGrom in a heart beat. The Astros would have to go out and sign guys with those names of course, because they don’t exist in the Astros Organization, but seems like a great deal!

Reed is a viable closer option for any team with a need in that area, yet the Nats jump all over 9th inning arsonist Francisco Rodriguez. Miami’s AJ Ramos is also available, but WAS prefers to shop for this critical need at Dollar Tree.

While trades within a division are not impossible, they would cost prospects and taking flyer on Rodriquez at this point. does not.. Still time for trades to happen if he fails. Maybe, even if he doesn’t.

Familia is expected to be back towards the end of the season (we’ll see)……but he’ll be back in the closer role in 2018. Reed would be a nice set-up guy, but probably will command more than the Mets should pay.

I kind of agree. Blevins should definitely stay. Reed, unless you get something “almost” as good as the yanks got last year, almost, then I think he has more value being offered an extension during the season to again pair with Blevins and maybe familia next year.

The others need to be traded. Maybe keep Bruce if he can agree to a contract similar to what grandly got four years ago.

No need to keep any of the others beyond the deadline as none of them will be back on the team next year. Even if u get a bag of balls. It’s worth dealing them.

2017 is over for the Mets but, that doesn’t leave them in a bad spot. They rid themselves of all the high cost less desirable free agents at the end of the year (I don’t include David Wright). That leaves them with Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes, possibly Asdrubal Cabrera and most of their SPs. The worst is that Addison Reed is the lone bright spot in the bullpen is likely moving too.
Bu, for 2018, it looks bright: Of course, Matt Harvey has to go even if they have to sell low but, I see this as an opportunity for the Mets to acquire the right players via free agency and trades and they stand a chance to improve the most of all teams in 2018. Just hope the Management has a plan. If they don’t, they need to go.

Ya they’ve been really unlucky this year. With a couple of moves there’s no reason that they can’t at least compete for a wildcard spot next year with a core of Thor, Conforto, Degrom, Cespedes, and Familia. A couple of good position player acquisitions and a healthy matz and they’ll be fine

Here are a couple of moves to wish for:
-Wilpons well the team.
-new owners completely clean house of front office, training and medical staff.
-AAA team is moved to the east coast.
-young baseball minds are hired to set out a new course.
-clean house of dead weight and sell whatever useful parts you can to stock the farm system.

I’m with you. With all the money coming off the payroll they can afford Cain and Lucroy and should still be able to add a veteran to the rotation. That would allow Gsellman and maybe Lugo to move to the bullpen and give your the needed depth there

Don’t think the demand for Reed is all that high. Other than Washington, that’s balked at Robertson so far, on what contenders is Reed an upgrade as a closer? He’s given up a hit an inning. That doesn’t scream lock down closer to me. Yet he’s still getting paid like a closer. A team like the Brewers with an low payroll and a need for late inning non-closer help might be interested, but not at a big price.

The only way the Mets will get anything significant back is if they include cash in each deal. I realize reflexively anti-Wilpon fans will immediately scream it will never happen, but they did it in the Beltran/Wheeler deal.

Even so, I’m not convinced that any of the above pieces really brings back a top 50, or even top 100 prospect.

Their situation reminds me more of the Marlon Byrd trade. The Mets got Vic Black who was an effective reliever for 2 years and Dilson Herrera who headlined the trade for Jay Bruce. You don’t have to bring back a “haul” for a trade to be beneficial. That’s how the Mets have to approach trading what they have